A majority of California adults would be willing to pay higher taxes to preserve current levels of spending on health and social services, according to a new, independent poll released Tuesday.
The survey by the Public Policy Institute of California found that 57 percent of Californians would be willing to pay higher taxes to support the safety net, the same number who said they would support higher taxes to keep current spending levels for higher education. Even more — 72 percent — said they would pay higher taxes to support K-12 education. Just 13 percent support higher levies for the prison system.
The same poll found broad support for Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal to raise income and sales taxes to help balance the budget.
While 74 percent said they support raising taxes on the wealthy and just 29 percent say they would back an increase in the sales tax, Brown’s proposal, which combines the two ideas, drew the support of 72 percent of all adults and 68 percent of likely voters. Another 31 percent of likely voters say they oppose the plan.
Voters were also opposed to the cuts Brown has proposed in his budget or suggested might be necessary if voters fail to pass the tax increase in November.
Only 24 percent of likely voters said they would support the cuts to schools that Brown has threatened to implement, the equivalent of cutting three weeks off the school year.
And 44 percent said they favored cuts to welfare, child care and Medi-Cal, which Brown says will be necessary even if the voters agree to raise taxes.
But Mark Baldasssare, president and CEO of the PPIC, said Brown might still have an uphill battle passing his plan because voters still believe that government can be cut further, and very few support raising the sales tax.
“The challenge the governor faces with his tax initiative is that one generally popular tax increase—raising personal income taxes on the wealthy—is paired with one generally unpopular one—raising the state sales tax,” Baldassare said.
To see the full poll, go here.
[...] HealthyCal: Polls Shows Broad Support For Brown’s Tax Plan A majority of California adults would be willing to pay higher taxes to preserve current levels of spending on health and social services, according to a new, independent poll released Tuesday. The survey by the Public Policy Institute of California found that 57 percent of Californians would be willing to pay higher taxes to support the safety net … 44 percent said they favored cuts to welfare, child care and Medi-Cal, which Brown says will be necessary even if the voters agree to raise taxes (1/24). [...]
[...] HealthyCal: Polls Shows Broad Support For Brown’s Tax Plan A majority of California adults would be willing to pay higher taxes to preserve current levels of spending on health and social services, according to a new, independent poll released Tuesday. The survey by the Public Policy Institute of California found that 57 percent of Californians would be willing to pay higher taxes to support the safety net … 44 percent said they favored cuts to welfare, child care and Medi-Cal, which Brown says will be necessary even if the voters agree to raise taxes (1/24). [...]
[...] Voters Support Governor’s Tax Initiative HealthyCal.org reports a majority of California voters support a tax increase to fill the state budget [...]